Pipe coating device



March 13, 1934. D. A. CUMFER PIPE COATING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1931 2 SheetsS heet l ll llllllllllllll fla /27% (/2. Gala/Z227 March 13, 1934. r3 cu 1,951,085

PIPE COATING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 hil Patented Man 13, 1934 PWE CQAG l i Donal t Ger, River Forest,

Application y t, llhhll, Serial hie Width This invention relates to improvements in pipe coating devices and refers specifically to the pro vision oi a machine for coatine a iahricated pipe line with a protective coat x suhs tance such as asphalt or the lilre, alter the same has heen laid and assembled in the held.

The utility, ohjects and advantages oi my iiivention will he apparent irom the accompanyine drawines and iollowine detail description.

in. the drawings, himl is a side elevatienal view oi my novel coatings machine.

his. 2 is an end elevational view of the device as shown in l.

hie. t is a detail front view at a doctor shoe as semhiy which may he utilised in conjunction with the device shown in hips. i and h.

i is a side elevational view oi the device shown in his. 3.

hie. s is detail side elevatienal view at a silent ly modified iorm oi the doctor shoe assemhly.

hie. h is a treat elevatio view oi the shoe shown in his. 5.

hie. l is a fragmentary side elevational view oi the shoe shown in his. 5..

his. t is a iraementary sectional view taken on the line h-d oi his. h.

his. h is a iraementary elevational view oi another modified form oi the doctor shoe assemhly.

hie. it is a further wi at term oi the doctor shoe assembly.

hie. ii is a still iurther modified ior oi the doctor shoe assemhly.

his. 12 is a detail view oi one seent oi doctor shoe illustrating particularly the spacln r elements.

his. ill is a sectio view taken on the e 13-4.? of his. l2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 indicates a plate which may he provided with a central aperture, not shown, the purpose of which will he hereinafter more iully descrihed pair oi standards 2 and 3, may he mounted upon the plate l and may he spaced from each other ion eitudinally along said plate. The upper portions oi said standards may serve as hearings or supports for shafts i and 5 respectively mounted upon the standards 2 and 3. Rollers d and "i may be respectively mounted upon the shafts and 5 and may he provided with curvilinear faces a which may be adapted to conform. to the curvature of a pipe 9.

in the laying oi pipe h for huids such as pe troleum oil, natural gas, water or the like, it has been the practice to lay the same in a trench or ditch as a continuous unit, the individual sections heing welded end to end. Prior to cover ing the pipe in the trench, to avoid the destructive corrosion of the metal of which the pipe is composed, the same is coated with a water resistant impervious substance such as asphalt or it'll. hlliil) the hire. When asphalt is used as a coathie m stance, the same must he applied in liquid con dition and, hence, must he applied to a relatively elevated temperature, The application at the asphalt is purely manual operation and must he entirely performed by hand. Since the asphalt is in heated condition, and inasmuch as relatively little clearance is provided hetween the pipe and the sides of the trench, worlrine con ditions are extremely uniavorahle. in conse ouence, the pipe is improperly coated, laclr. oi unhformity oi coating exists and a great waste at coatine; material is occasioned.

hiccordmely my invention is directed to means for efficiently coating a pipe line of the character described in which a uniform coating may he applied in an emcient manner and, hence, a great saving oi time, labor and material may he chested.

A tank or container it may depend irom the lower surface oi the plate 1 and may he divided by partition 11 into a compartment 12 adapted to contain a quantity oi coating material and a heating chamber it. h bracket or support it may be mounted upon the tank or vat l0 and may serve as a support ior a heating means such as, ior example, a gasoline torch 15 or the like, the heated products oi combustion being dischareed into the compartment 13. A flue 16 may connect into the compartment in and may pass throuah the compartment lit discharging adjacent the lower suriace oi the pipe 9.

i l spur gear it may he mounted upon an errtended portion oi the shait d and may he adapted to mesh with a pinion it which, in turn, may he loosely mounted upon a stub shait it. A. crank 20 having handle 21 may he rigidly mounted upon the shaft 19. The pinion 18 may he provided with a plurality oi apertures 22 into which pin 23 carried by the cranlr 20 may he adapted to he inserted. In this manner when the pin 23 is enraged in the aperture 22, the shaft 19 and the pinion it will turn as a unit. Consequently it can he readily seen that by rotating crank 20, near it will he actuated and will, in turn; rotate shaft 4 therehy imparting motion to the device as a whole.

it pump 2i may he mounted within the compartment l2 and may he provided with a shall; 25 which may extend outwardly through the side wall oi the vat it. h gland 26 may serve to pre-' "ill hit

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Milli vent leakage of the material within the compertinent 12 at the point where the shait 25 extends outwardly through the wall of the vet. A sprocket wheel at may be mounted upon the end oi the shaft 25 and may be adapted to he operatively connected to sprocket wheel2h rigidly mounted upon the shaft 19 by means of a sprocket chain 29. The arrangement is such that upon rotation of shaft 19, pump shalt 25 may he rotated and consequently liquid wit lid ltd

the liquid compartment 12 maybe pumped upwardly through pipe 30 which may discharge upon the upper portion of the pipe 9.

The pipe may, if desired, be constructed in a plurality of sections connected together by a swivel coupling. By this provision, when the de-' vice is temporarily out of use the same may be collapsed and immersed in the liquid within the reservoir 12. In this manner, the coating ma terial remaining in the pipe will be prevented from hardening.

ing particularly to Figs. 3 and e, a doctor device 31 is shown which may be utilized in conjunction with my invention. The device may comprise a supporting ring 32 which may be divided into a plurality of sections 1-33 and being respectively the lower and upper tabs the rin The lower half ring 33 may be mounted upon a bracket 35 which, if desired, may be con structed integral therewith, the ends of the braci:-- et in turn being adapted to be mounted upon the opposite sides of the plate 1 bridging the aperture formed in said plate. The bracket 35 and the lower half ring 33 may carry on one side thereof a bifurcated lug The same side of the ring 34; may carry a cooperating lug which may be pivotally connected to the 3 by means of a pin 38 or the lilte.

diametrical opposite side of the lower ring 33 may be provided with a lug 33- adapted cooperate with a lug d0 mounted upon the upper portion 34 of the ring. bolt 41 may be pivotally mounted upon the lug 39 and by means of nut may be adapted to maintain lugs 39 and so in positive contact with each other.

ihe reference numeral 43 indicates a cylindri cal doctor blade which may comprise a plurality of segmental sections The cylindrical doctor blade 43 may be adapted to circumscribe the pipe 9 as shown best in Fig. 3 and each segment comprising said doctor blade may be adapted for radial movement with respect to said pipe. The inner surface of the segments is may be pro vided with spacing strips i5 which may, if de sired, be imbedded in the surface of the segmental sections as shown best in detail in Fig. 12. By the provision of the spacing members 45, the distance of the doctor surfaces from the outer surface of the pipe 9 may be controlled.

Each of the segmental sections 44 may be provided with a supporting and guiding shaft 46 which may be of hollow construction and may be suitably mounted upon the outer surface of the segment The ring 32 may be provided with a plurality of housings F, the number thereof corresponding to the number of segments 6.4 com-- prising the doctor member 3. the housings or may be provided with. threaded opening into v a bolt dd be threadedly engaged. -.nger or wad-icy may be mounted intermediate the length of the bolt 49 and may be positioned within the housing 4?. A coil spring so may circumscribe the shaft 46 of each segment and may abut at one end upon the boss 51 and at the other upon the plunger d9. The end of the bolt 48 may be adapted tc'be slidably positioned within the hollow portion oi the shaft 46. It can readily be seen that the force of compression of the springs may be controlled by suitably rotating the bolts 48. The arrangement is such that as the cylindrical doctor member 43 moves longitudinally along the pipe 9, if an upraised portion of said pipe is encountered for instance, a welded joint, the springs 50 permit radial movement of the segments ti and conse= quently permit uninterrupted passage or the doctor member 43 over the weld.

Referring particularly to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 6, a slightly modified form of doctor blade and mounting is shown. A pair of arms 52 may be pivotally mounted as at 53 upon the standards 2. The opposite ends of said arms may terminate in bifurcated members 54. A doctor ring 55 comprising a plurality of cylindrical segments 56 may be adapted to circumscribe a portion of the pipe 9 to be coated. Two of the segments 56 may be provided with projected pins 5'? which. be normally inserted between the bifurcated arms 54: as shown best in Fig. 5. A cotter or the like 58, may serve to maintain. the arms 52 in proper position with respect to the pins 57 in obvious manner.

Each of the segments 56 may be provided at opposite ends witi tongues 59 and cooperating grooves, In this manner relative axial movement of segments with respect to each otl prevented inasmuch. the tongue 59 of segment positively engages in the groove 60 c adjacent of adjacent segment. To mit limited radi movement of the segroen with. respect to ti .pe e, a plurality of c ous coil springs 6 may circumscribe ti drical doctor member 55. To prevent u tional displacement of .e springs iii, the 52. may he nos oned within annular grooves provided in. the outer surface of the segments .1

Referring particularly to Fig. 9, another i lied form of doctor assembly is shown and may comprise a supporting ring 63 similar to the ring 32. A piur lity of doctor segments having spaced strip 65 and guide shafts 66 may he op eratively associated with the ring 63. line ring 63 may be provided with housings 5'! correspond ing in number to the number of segments G comprising the doctor blade proper. The ends of the shafts 66 may be slid-ably mounted within the housings 67 and a coil spring 68 may be positioned within said shafts. A bolt or screw 69 may be threadedly engaged in the end of each of the housings 67 and may be provided at its inner end with a plunger '70 adapted to maintain contact with the end of the spring 68. It can readily be seen that a construction of this type permits of the desired radial movement of the segment 64 with respect to the pipe 9.

Another modified form of doctor device may be used in conjunction with my invention and comprise a supporting ring 7* general details to the rings a tion is shown in. Fi 3.0. provided with a pl ably positioned. Arms be me w. ed upon the outer portion of I 1g 3 adjacent the col iars 72 and may serve as fulcrums for levers 76. (Due end of each of the levers is adapted to bear upon the end of each of the shafts '73 whereas the opposite end of each of the levers contacts a coil spring or the like 77 pc tioned between. end

the outer surface of the ring 71. can readily be seen that by this construction radiomovement of the segment 74 may be permitted with respect to the outer surface the pipe 9 over which. said segments are adapted to slide. The number of units 72, '73, 74, '75, '76 and 7'? mounted upon the ring 71 will depend, of course, upon the arcuate span of the members 7%, the aggregate span of said members covering 360.

Referring particularly to Fig. 11 a further modifled form of doctor assembly is shown and com through the combustion chamber 13.

prises a supporting ring 7h somewhat similar in construction to the rings 71, es and 32. The ring 78 may be provided with a collar 79 in which a shaft to mounted upon a segment ill is adapted to be slidably positioned. The ring 7h may be provided with a plurality of collars 79 correspond ing in number to the number of segments ti. constituting the doctor blade proper. To permit radial. movement of the segments 81 with respect to the pipe 9 over which said segments travel, a continuous coil. spring 82 may circuroscribe and bind the various segments. It is to be understood, of course, that one or more coil springs 82 may be utilized as desired. The number of rmits 79, till and ill mounted upon ring 78, of course, will dc pend upon the arcuate span of each of the mean bers ill, the aggregate span of said members cov ering 360.

in the construction of the doctor blade proper, the same may be beveled, as shown best at 83 in Fig. 1.3, at the rorward end or said blade, the direc tion of the motion oi the blade with respect to the pipe being indicated by the arrow 8d.

lln utilizing my invention, the device as a whole may be mounted upon a pipe 9 as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2. To so mount said device the saine may be positioned upon said pipe at one end thereof or, if desired, the hearings for the shafts i and 5 at the upper ends of the standart'ts 2 and 3 respectively may be or the split type, shown, which may permit the temporary removal oi the rollers s and 7. Any other desirable means or mounting the device upon an intermediate portion of the pipe 9 is contemplated by my inven tion and will be apparent to anyone slrilled in the art.

its has been hereinbetore described, the doctor assembly be suitably positioned upon the pipe 9, the positioning thereof being dependent upon the particular type or doctor assembly.

quantity of coating material such asphalt or the litre may be placed in the tanlr l2 and heated products of combustion may be passed i then the coating material has been reduced to the desired stage or fluidity, the crank. 21 may be rotated thereby actuating pump 2st and discharging coat ing material through the pipe Bil to the upper surface of the pipe 9 immediately in the direction of travel of the doctor blade. Simultaneously with the actuation of the pump motion will be imparted to the coating device proper and the doctor blade will move longitudinally along the pipe 9 and will controllably spread a film of a desired uniform thickness of coating material upon the surface of the pipe 9. lit can readily be seen that the thickness of said film will be dependent upon the distance that the spacing elements 45 project outwardly from the inner surfaces oi the segments.

The movement of the device proper along the length of the pipe 9 will be dependent upon several factors among which may be mentioned the fluidity of the coating material, the longitudinal distance of the discharge pipe 30 from the doctor blade as measured in the direction of travel along the pipe 9, and the thickness or the film of coating material to be applied to said pipe.

It can readily be seen that the excess coating material removed from the pipe by the doctor blade will fall through the aperture in the plate 1 and into the tank 12. Consequently a saving of material is effected both by. applying a. uniterm coating to the pipe and also by the rotten ieu of the excess material removed from the pipe.

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coating material may be maintained at the point or doctoring regardless of atmospheric temperature conditions.

it it is desired the pump 24.- may be operated independently of the movement of the carriage by moving the pin 23 into its outermost position as shown in dotted lines in big. lit can readily be seen that in this position the pinion it will be disengaged from the cranlr shaft 19 and hence shaft l will not move on movement or the crank 20. A. similar means, not shown, but obvious to those skilled in the art, may be utilized to move the carriage and simultaneously render the pump inoperative.

Pipes oi difierent diameters may be coated by one device merely by changing rollers c and 7 and doctor shoes. The doctor assembly shown in Figs. 5, 5, 7 and d particularly lends itself to the coating of pipes of various sizes due to the relatively simple cooperative relationship of the carriage proper and the doctor device.

I claim:

i. In combination, a device for coating a stationary pipe which comprises, a carriage movably supported upon the pipe to be coated, a reservoir carried by said carriage beneath said pipe for coating material, means for heating said material, means for uniformly spreading said material upon the surface or the pipe, and means for applying heat to the lower portion of said spreading means and pipe.

2. in combination, a device tor coating a sta tionary pipe which comprises, a carriage movahly supported upon the pipe'to be coated, a reservoir will carried by said carriage for coating material,

means for delivering coating material from the reservoirto the pipe surface, and means for iormly spreading said material upon the surface or the pipe comprising a doctor blade circurnscribing said pipe, said doctor blade including a plurality of arcuate segments spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the pipe.

3. In combination, a device for coating a stationary pipe which comprises, a carriage movably supported upon the pipe to be coated, a reservoir carried by said carriage for coating material, means for delivering coating material from the reservoir to the pipe surface, means for uniformly spreading said material upon the surface of the pipe comprising a doctor blade circumscribing said pipe, said doctor blade including a plurality of arcuate segments spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the pipe, and means permitting limited radial movement of said segments with respect to said pipe.

i. In combination, a device for coating a stationary pipe which comprises, a carriage movably supported upon the pipe to be coated, a reservoir carried by said carriage for coating material,

means for delivering coating material from the reservoir to the pipe surface, means for uniiormly spreading said material upon the surface of the pipe, comprising a doctor blade including a plurality of arcuate segments conforming to the sectional contour of the pipe and encircling said pipe, and means for maintaining said segments a predetermined distance from the surface of said pipe.

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